Dunmore Cave – Traveling

According to the Triads, the three darkest places in Ireland are Knowth Tomb, Newgrange, and Dearc Fheanna – Dunmore Caves. Until relatively recently¹, Dunmore Caves were the only known cave system in Ireland. Some 3500 years ago, a field in what is now Co. Kilkenny collapsed, opening up the system. According to archaeologists, it looks as if it may have been used by local people as a sort of refrigerator – there was evidence of animals being butchered near the entrance, and stored deeper in the caves, where the temperature holds at 9 C.

But in 928, the Dublin Vikings marched an army into the area as part of their ongoing feud with the Waterford Vikings, and attacked the three hill forts in the area. Once the men were slaughtered, it was found that the women and children had retreated into the nearby cave and hidden. The Vikings built huge fires at the opening of the cave mouth, intending to smoke out the villagers from their hiding spots. The fires filled the caves with smoke, used up all the oxygen, and suffocated the inhabitants.

According to the Annals, a thousand people were killed in the cave. That number seems kind of high, but there’s no way to be sure – over the centuries, many skeletons were removed, many by locals, who carried them to a nearby churchyard and reburied, but also by less altruistic folks. In the 1970s, when a more organized exploration and cataloguing of the cave began, a total of 44 bodies were found hidden in the narrowest, most secret parts of the caves. Most of the bodies were children and women, none of them showing any weapon damage.

Also discovered near the mouth of the cave were some silver coins, two of them struck in York, which city the Dublin Vikings had close ties with. In 1999, a guide in the cave picking up some litter, found a silver bracelet, which led to the discovery of a small treasure trove containing coins, jewelry, and a piece of purple-dyed silk. Dating on the coins show that the trove was hidden about fifty years after the massacre, so there’s a theory that it was a Viking’s sacrifice to the dead.

Anyway. Since the massacre – and the resulting skeleton-filled cave – the cave has had an evil reputation, being scene as a portal to the land of the dead. It was also said to be a gathering place for the fair folk, and the home of Luchtigern, king of the mice, who was slain by the giant Kilkenny cat, Banghaisgidheach².

The gentleman driving the cab that took me out to the cave and back told me stories of when he and his friends would bike out to the cave after school to go crawling through it before all the safety measures and interpretive centre were put in place. Doolin Cave and Marble Arch Cave are bigger, but Dunmore Cave has a more interesting history.

So, yeah. Guess where I went this morning.

The top of the shakehole that leads to the entrance of Dunmore Cave.

Starting to head down. There are, of course, many steps.

All the cave staff seem totally pumped to tell you how many steps you’ll have to climb – 152 to climb out of Marble Arch Cave, 125 to climb out of Doolin Cave, 706 steps in total (up and down) in Dunmore Cave. I’d think it was a friendly warning, but they always seem smug about it.

Without the little roof, there, you can see how this would look a little sinister. Especially with a large number of skeletons littering the caves.

Quoting the guide, here. "Now, about a hundred years ago, this was a very nice stalactite. So nice that one gentleman decided he should put it in his garden. He was a clever man, so he was scientific about how he went about retrieving it: he used dynamite. And it dropped from the ceiling and shattered. So, he destroyed in less than five minutes something that took over a million years to build." Yay for Victorian "scientists." — Quoting the guide, here. “Now, about a hundred years ago, this was a very nice stalactite. So nice that one gentleman decided he should put it in his garden. He was a clever man, so he was scientific about how he went about retrieving it: he used dynamite. And it dropped from the ceiling and shattered. So, he destroyed in less than five minutes something that took over a million years to build.” Yay for Victorian “scientists.”

This is the Fairy Floor. Locals say that it is kept swept clean by the fair folk so they can dance here.

This stalactite is called the Buffalo. It should reach the stalagmite below it in about 10,000 years, forming a column.

There's lots of great calcite formations in the cave. This flowstone wall is a nice mix of white (pure calcite), red (stained with iron), and black (stained with manganese). — There’s lots of great calcite formations in the cave. This flowstone wall is a nice mix of white (pure calcite), red (stained with iron), and black (stained with manganese).

A big chunk of the ceiling collapsed here long ago, and more flowstone formations built up on the sheer wall of the rift. "I think," says our guide, "that some of you maybe are getting a little concerned with how often I'm using the word 'collapsed.'" — A big chunk of the ceiling collapsed here long ago, and more flowstone formations built up on the sheer wall of the rift. “I think,” says our guide, “that some of you maybe are getting a little concerned with how often I’m using the word ‘collapsed.'”

They call this formation Casper the Friendly Ghost. It's fairly young, only about a foot and a half tall, and very pure calcite, resulting in it's pure white, almost glowing appearance. — They call this formation Casper the Friendly Ghost. It’s fairly young, only about a foot and a half tall, and very pure calcite, resulting in it’s pure white, almost glowing appearance.

This is the Town Hall, the largest easily accessible chamber in the cave. Also, the highest. It's big, with big formations. — This is the Town Hall, the largest easily accessible chamber in the cave. Also, the highest. It’s big, with big formations.

Central to the Town Hall is a 6m tall stalagmite they call the Market Cross. Some say it looks like a cross, but the guide said - and I agree - it looks more like a hand holding a pint of Guinness. — Central to the Town Hall is a 6m tall stalagmite they call the Market Cross. Some say it looks like a cross, but the guide said – and I agree – it looks more like a hand holding a pint of Guinness.

So, I dragged myself up out of the cave, called a taxi, and made my way back to Kilkenny city. I grabbed a hot dog³ and coke near the castle, and sat in the shade to eat my lunch and let the time get closer to 2:00.

That was the time St. Canice’s Cathedral opened to the public on Sundays.

My first view of St. Canice's Cathedral, looking up the twisty lane and stairs at the end of High Street. — My first view of St. Canice’s Cathedral, looking up the twisty lane and stairs at the end of High Street.

Whoever made the stairs leading up this alley really, really hated skateboarders. Those spikes are about two inches long.

Looking at the cathedral from outside the wall.

The original main entry of the cathedral.

The round tower beside the cathedral goes up about a hundred feet. From it, the highest tower on the highest hill in Kilkenny, you get an unequaled view of the city. But that was just way too many steps for me today, considering doing the cave and the heat of the day. Besides, it leans.

The interior of St. Canice's Cathedral. — The interior of St. Canice’s Cathedral.

This inscribed slab was found near Kyteler's Inn, home of the famous witch Dame Alice Kyteler. — This inscribed slab was found near Kyteler’s Inn, home of the famous witch Dame Alice Kyteler.

The altar and rosary window of the cathedral.

Bishop Richard de Lededre, who was infamously involved in Kyteler witch case, is buried here.

There are several tombs for members of the Butler family, who held the Kilkenny Castle, in the cathedral.

Most of the Butler monuments are in the western transept.

The organ, unusually, is on the main floor, not in a loft, and right beside the pulpit.

The little parish chapel off the eastern transept is the oldest part of the cathedral.

St. Keiran's Chair, still used as the coronation seat for anointing the Bishops of Ossory. — St. Keiran’s Chair, still used as the coronation seat for anointing the Bishops of Ossory.

By that time, it was about 4:00, which meant it was a little too late for me to take a trip out to Kells Priory. I guess I’ll have to save that for my next trip. I went and had a shower, cleaned up, and went to dinner at Kyteler’s again.

Tomorrow, I leave Kilkenny for Dublin. I have to say that Kilkenny has been the best surprise of my trip. I hadn’t expected so much cool stuff to see and do here, and such a laid-back, friendly attitude. I need to come back.

But Dublin next. I love Dublin.

I’ve had a couple of changes to my plans in Dublin over the last few days – one good change, one less good change. The less good change is that my tour for Tara and Newgrange on Wednesday has been canceled. Apparently, I was the only one who signed up, and that makes me sad. I’m sure I can find something fun to do instead on Wednesday.

The good change is that my brother, my sister-in-law, my nephew, and my niece have decided to come to Ireland to see my sister-in-law’s grandmother. We’re going to meet up in Dublin and do some sightseeing together. And that’ll definitely be fun.

But tomorrow is all about the train.

Well, until 1895, when the Marble Arch Cave was officially discovered and explored. [↩]
Taking note, Fera? [↩]
I don’t know if it’s a universally Irish thing, or just the way this stand does thing, but the hot dog didn’t have a wiener in it. Instead, it had a pork sausage. Tasty, if unexpected. [↩]

Tag: Dunmore Cave

Darkest Place in Ireland